EP Review: lover.fighter

Blindr are a high energy pop-punk band based in Auckland with members Bill Caldwell, Blake Woodfield, Charlie McCracken and Jack Power. Blindr have been taking the music industry by storm in the last few years, including winning the Ding Dong Lounge 2023 Band competition. 

The lover.fighter EP was produced, mixed, and mastered by Zorran Mendonsa, a powerhouse in New Zealand’s heavy music scene, known for his work with Devilskin, Alien Weaponry, Crooked Royals, and Shepherds Reign. 

Lead singer Bill Caldwell shared that “This EP is a reflection of who we are as a band. Each song tells its own story from both a sonic and lyrical perspective. Well over three years in the making”

First up we have Letdown, and I had to do a double take as it began, because the guitar intro bears a huge likeness to an old NZ fave Home by 2 by 48 May and I thought somehow I had switched tracks! Letdown is a song about building you up just to let you down and its angsty but poppy feel throws me back to 2000’s classics from the likes of Yellowcard, Taking Back Sunday and even some Blink 182. 

Give it is an upbeat, fun, rocky bop with a melodious chorus. This is definitely a dance around the house blasting it and singing loudly song and it went straight to my favourites playlist.

Lover.fighter is the latest single to be released by Blindr in January this year and has a slightly harder feel without straying from the high energy pop-punk genre these boys are known for. The guitars are funky which is cool and there is an epic instrumental as well.

Next up is an unreleased song called Break which has easy listening, early 2000’s pop punk vibes. This song is about leaving your hometown, in this case Dunedin, to chase your dreams in the big city (Auckland). Singer Bill comments that the band “wanted to capture that mix of melancholy and excitement that comes with growing up and stepping into the unknown.” and with lyrics such as ‘It’s time to chase the light I see, It’s time to break free’ the listener can definitely pick up on those vibes. As a small town girl who managed to break away I love this song and its relatability.

Finally we have another other unreleased song Everything which is a super cute love song and soft ballad. Usually a high energy band, they break the mould for Everything and I love the intimacy and vulnerability in this song and am so glad that the boys took the risk and put it on the EP. The stripped back rawness of just Bill’s vocals and the guitars for the majority of the song make Everything so beautiful. It is also super catchy and I have had ‘cause when the hours turn to minutes and the seconds make way, I wanna get lost in your everything, coz you’re everything’ stuck in my head since I heard it.

Blindr are definitely showing up with this EP with every song being a banger! Combine that with the versatility of the songs from the harder pop rock anthem lover.fighter to the vulnerable Everything meaning it can be played when you’re in any mood and it makes it a definite must have in your music library!